Field Of Invention
This invention relates to social network, and more specifically, to open social networks based upon location.
Description of Prior Art
A social networking system provides an online service, platform, or website that implements social networks, where users may share news, information, ideas, or feelings. A social networking environment is mostly web-based, and it enables users to interact with each other over the Internet, via online posts, instant or short messages, tweets, or emails. As smartphone system supports social networking environment and many users have a smartphone, social networks may be used as a new communication platform for almost all situations.
For instance, communication via social networks may complement face-to-face conversation among unknown users at a location. When a user is at a shopping mall, the user may want to exchange info with someone in there. When a user is at a train station, the user may want to know what happened when a train is delayed. A user may look around and find someone to ask a question. Alternatively, a user may post a question in a social circle designated to the location. For some, the latter may be easier to do, since it rids a user of shyness, awkwardness, and possible embarrassment. For a business, the latter provides another channel to communicate with customers aside from telephone, website, and email.
When a social network is employed as a contacting or communication platform, openness and ease of use become important. But many social networks are exclusive, need to be found, and require registration or even a qualification process for enrollment.
Therefore, there exists a need for social network that is open, easy to find, and easy to access.
The word “post” as verb or “posting” is referred broadly as transmitting information from a user to a server via a communication network to let others in a certain environment, such as a social networking circle, access the transmitted information. The word “post” as noun includes information posted or submitted by a user on the Internet, or user generated content on the Internet or in any network. Posted information or contents may cover a hyperlink or a uniform resource locator (URL), audio, video, an image, a text, a message, an e-mail, news article, blog entry, survey, etc. Posts are preferably hosted on a web site, but may also be hosted locally using local database or a local server system. In discussions below, messages, besides posts, are used sometime. “Message” as noun is considered equivalent to post.